Jupiter may be an ancient planet, but it’s new to the wine universe

For most wine drinkers, wine is a function of: picking grapes, crushing, putting in a tank to ferment, storing for a time in wooden barrels, and when it is finished aging put the wine in a bottle and sell. But when the government gets involved, the seemingly simple tasks get a bit more complicated. The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Office (TTB), within the Treasury Department, oversees and ultimately must approve almost everything that happens before wine, beer and spirits are sold to the consumer. ; even approving the name of the grapes used on the wine label.

In March 2014, the TTB announced that it had approved two new grape varieties for use on wine labels. It was puzzling, after thousands of years, did it take two more grapes to make wine? A quick search on the Internet indicated that there are 5,000 wine grape varieties in the world; 1,500 varietals have been used to make wine. (Some estimate there are 20,000 varietal grape strains, not just wine grapes.) Today, approximately 150 varieties (considered major) are planted for the sole purpose of making wine. Currently, the TTB has approved 349 specific grape names for wine labels with 44 still pending. The questions to be asked are: Why should grape varieties be approved for wine labels and where do new varieties for wine originate?

The two new grapes just approved for wine label naming are: Jupiter and Caprettone. Caprettone seems to have a century of history in Italy as a wine grape and Jupiter is very new and of American origin; having been in the works for 35 years. The Jupiter grape (a dark purple color) was developed and released by Dr. John Clark and Dr. James Moore at the University of Arkansas. Interestingly, the Jupiter grape is a real hybrid that comes with a US plant patent # 13,309. Jupiter developed as a seedless table grape and has now made its way into the wine industry. More importantly, this muscat style / flavor grape, with bold aromas, has a pedigree that is purely American; a lineage of parents dating back over 120 years, beginning in Geneva, New York.

This new grape, designated for wines, arose because the TTB participates in the approval of the content and format of the wine label. And they are involved because they protect consumers from fraudulent advertising claims about grapes in wine. If a grape is to be noted on a label, it must be approved as a varietal by the TTB. In essence, Jupiter has been shown to be a new variety with a traceable lineage and DNA that can be shown not to be specific to any other varietal grape. The University of Arkansas invented a new grape (Jupiter) with a completely new personality that is becoming increasingly viable as a commercial grape. In fact, it was found to be ideal for wine in an Oregon vineyard; more on that later.

As mentioned above, in addition to TTB being responsible for consumer protection, it ensures that only qualified individuals get involved in the alcoholic beverage industry. Since 2003 they are responsible for enforcing the laws that regulate the production, import and sale of wine / beer / spirits wholesale; manufacture of tobacco; and labeling and advertising of alcoholic beverages. With 11 field offices, TTB has 470 employees who oversee the wine, beer and spirits approval and compliance processes. In addition, the TTB has a laboratory operation that conducts product testing.

To ensure the integrity of wines sold in the US, TTB is responsible for:

• Strict guidelines for information on a wine label: 13 items must appear on a label (one of which is the varietal grape in the wine.
• The approval processes to be used for winemaking.
• Approval of AVA Designations in the US In Napa and Sonoma counties there are approximately 30 very specific AVAs (American Vineyard Areas) that affect the character of the wine grape.
• Enforce regulations and tax statutes.
• Ensure compliance of imported wines in relation to US laws.

Lately, there is a growing interest, on the part of consumers, in the impact of terroir / AVA on the flavors, aromas and mouthfeel of the wine. Therefore, AVAs are becoming more interested in people’s wine selection. The TTB takes a very close look at AVA designation applications for elements that make a grape growing region unique: soil, climate, elevation, etc.

Aside from the ever-present exploration of the impact on the flavors and aromas of terroir / AVA wine, efforts are being made to obtain the best grapes for each terroir / AVA. The Jupiter vine is now analyzed in relation to how it matures and its yields, based on its inheritance and terroir / AVA adaptability. However, like any product, a market must be created for wine that uses the Jupiter grape. This is not an easy task, especially when there is no history of wine with Jupiter.

Now that TTB has designated Jupiter as a varietal, it is being tested on small batches of wine for evaluation as a varietal used in blends or as a stand-alone varietal base wine. The intrigue is how or who decided that this table grape, aimed at the Midwest market, was suitable for wine; at least enough to apply to the TTB for an approved wine grape?

An experimental nursery in Oregon bought some Jupiter plants to experiment with grapes, such as table grapes, to be grown in the northwestern climate. Due to the characteristics of the Jupiter, this nursery found that the early ripening and high yield of the Jupiter would be ideal as a new regional fruit. In 2012, when Neil Shaw experimented with the vines from his farm, he was impressed with the muscat flavor of Jupiter. The powerful aroma of the wine of Jupiter; surely its finest and most memorable feature is due to its American DNA. It was then that things started to change in relation to looking at the Jupiter grape as a potential varietal for wine and potential for use in blends.

Now Mr. Shaw has visions of a new red wine with robust aromas, great mouthfeel and a good balance of tannins and acid. Armed with a few cases of the finished (unlabeled) wine, he took it to some wine critics he knew in the Oregon wine country to get their opinion. “Although the necessary aging remains incomplete in just ten months, local wine merchants and winemakers have expressed favorable opinion and interest in commercializing this new varietal wine,” said Neil Shaw, owner of Yamhalis Vineyard.

This initial reception of the wine and the adaptability of the grape to the northwest prompted Mr. Shaw to turn to the TTB for a new varietal designation. As the old saying goes, “that my friends” is how he was born: the Jupiter wine grape.

Not all applications for the varietal designation of wine grapes are for a vine that was invented totally new. For example, the Caprettone grape has been used for wine in Italy for many years and recently attracted enough attention that someone wanted to use the Caprettone grape in the US for a wine and that required TTB approval. As the taste buds of wine consumers change, some nurseries or vineyards will experiment with new strains and, if they like the results, an application will be made to the TTB for a new grape to reach the US market.

Many universities in the United States work with the development of the vine to solve a number of problems facing the wine business. Concerns about wine grapes in general that encourage new development work are: hardiness, maturation profiles, drought tolerance vines and vines for specific soil / climate / altitude conditions, yields, flavors, and disease resistance.

The new Jupiter grape is unique in that it has, what the grape industry calls, American character. That is defined as a high volatile impact, dark skin and good tannins, and a good natural acid balance.

Only time will tell if the Jupiter variety will be on the Thanksgiving table anytime soon; the wine consumer is a fickle bunch. It wasn’t that long ago that most people in the wine industry thought Syrah was the next great wine that the consumer would be demanding. It does not appear to have been the projected success at the time. Looking at the Syrah section while walking the islands at BevMo or Total Wines, there seems to be no overwhelming demands like a taxi. The thing is, time will tell how the Jupiter grape will be used in the US wine industry, or even if it will.

It took 35 years for the new grape to be conceived, developed and commercialized. Therefore, launching a new wine with Jupiter will not be overnight either.

As a point of interest, there is a new grape hitting the market in California-Cotton Candy. Yes, it tastes and smells like cotton candy; probably not for a wine. Imagine that blind tasting!

Health!